Sister Rose Pacatte, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul, is the director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles.In her recently-released book, “Martin Sheen: Pilgrim on the Way” (Liturgical Press), she details well-known actor Sheen’s early life: one of 10 kids, a mother who died at 48 while saying the rosary, a hard-working father who was loving but stinted on the compliments. Many of the children, including Martin, suffered from alcoholism.We learn of Sh … [Read more...]

Here's a short video I just made about how "Martin Sheen: Pilgrim on the Way" is a perfect book for Lent! Now for news and pictures about the book signing on Feb 7th!Saturday, February 7, the day of the book signing forwas a lovely day - even with that little bit of rain. I think about 80 people or so came and it was a very joyous event! A good number of my family came, too, and that added to the fun!One friend brought a pair of boots (one of the pairs) … [Read more...]

I hope you can join all of us at the Pauline Book & Media Center for this date. Refreshments will be served!You can order from Amazon or directly from Liturgical Press, too. Or if you order through our book store I can autograph it for you! Call 310-397-8676 between 10am-6pm, Pacific Time, Monday-Saturday (closed Sunday).Here are some early reactions to the book (people are so kind and generous!): In a world where "celebrity biography" has become synonymous with "scandlous … [Read more...]

Dilip (Rajpal Yadav) lives in the city of Bhopal, India, which grew around a gigantic Union Carbide plant that was built to produce pesticides, especially methyl isocyanate (cyanide). By 1984, safety hazards are beginning to escalate—which are overlooked by management—and inspections by the authorities are minimal. When Dilip manages to get a job as a janitor at the plant, he is thrilled because he can provide for his nagging and worried wife.Motwani (Kal Penn), the editor of the local pap … [Read more...]

I received word today that my biography on Martin Sheen, entitled "Martin Sheen: Pilgrim on the Way" has progressed from the editorial department to the production department at Liturgical Press. They invited me to write the book as part of their "People of God" series.The book is due out in February, 2015.You can pre-order "Martin Sheen: Pilgrim on the Way" by clicking here or you can order on Amazon.The back cover reads:"Martin Sheen, best known for his … [Read more...]

When director Emilio Estevez’ feature narrative film “The Way” was released in 2011, audiences across the United States and many countries were introduced for the first time to the ancient pilgrimage route “El Camino de Santiago de Compostela.”I had the opportunity to interview Martin Sheen at that time for NCR and followed it up with anarticle about a screening in which Sheen, his son Emilio Estevez, and producer David Alexanian, spoke to the audience after. “The Way” is a fict … [Read more...]

Here's my on camera interview with "Cesar's Last Fast" director Richard R. Perez. The story of how the film came to be is as inspiring as the film itself. Catholics in Media Associates is giving this film its Documentary Award on June 1, 2014 in Los Angeles. You can find it here, too, on the The Inndustry with Sister Rose on the INNetwork (and all my other interviews, too) … [Read more...]

If you ask director and filmmaker Richard Ray Perez if the story of Cesar Chavez chose him or if he chose to tell Chavez's story, he would say both.Following the screening of his new film, "Cesar's Last Fast," at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress Film Showcase March 14, he told the audience that when he was 5 years old in the late 1960s, he first became aware of the table grape boycott while eating lunch at Head Start.Perez came from a family of migrant workers, but it was a … [Read more...]

You can access the entire series directly at Lenten Film Series 2014. I hope you are enjoying the series!Be sure to check out the questions for reflection and conversation.Have you ever walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostela? If so, share some of your reflections here!Meanwhile "Buen Camino" for your Lenten journey wherever you are. … [Read more...]

My column this month outlines how you can make a retreat from your seat if you are unable to a retreat house.For Lent this year, the Pauline Center for Media Studies hosted a six-part weekly program using The Way, starring Martin Sheen. In the film written and directed by Sheen’s son, Emilio Estevez, Sheen plays Tom Avery, a widower who travels to France to bring home the body of his son who died in an accident. Tom discovers his son had just set out to make the 800-kilometer pilgrimage to the … [Read more...]